Anabuki Travel Inbound Division

Misato　OUTOFDINING

Outline

Despite being abundantly covered with mountains, the denizens of Tokushima Prefecture have somehow been able to thrive agriculturally. During this experience visitors will have a chance to glimpse into the sometimes difficult but always satisfying life of the local farmers who pour so much effort into the land.

Rice paddies, fields thick with vegetables, as well as trees heavy with brightly colored citrus fruit dot the sweeping landscape unfolding in all directions from the towering peaks of rugged mountain homes where tea quietly grows underneath the indigo blue skies of Tokushima.

Whether amongst the almost impossibly green verdancy of the warmer months or in the cooler months when the changing leaves seem to set the mountains ablaze in hues of orange and red. It is here in the beauty and peace of the mountains that visitors are able to enjoy the rich bounty Tokushima provides with the turning of every season.

Background and Highlights

The rugged mountains of the Nishi-Awa conceal roughly 200 villages along the steep slopes and valleys of this sprawling region. Because of the relative lack of space experienced by many of these communities the people who call these mountains home have developed their own unique forms of agriculture and for hundreds of years have mastered the art of sloped-terrace farming.
One particular crop that has thrived due to these unique farming conditions is tea. However, due to the unfortunate and continual greying of the Japanese population there are now less and less tea farms as well as less volunteers to harvest the leaves.

To help his community, Kondo Hiroaki began to manage these farms on behalf of elderly owners in an attempt to revitalize local small-town industries and ensure a bright future for the mountain towns that seem to be too often at risk of being lost to the past.

Course Number	SKU012
Season Available	All Year（Unavailable during New Year Holiday）
Sign-Up Date	At least 7 days prior
Length of Tour	10:00～14:00
Meeting Place	JR Awayamakawa Station

Guide Information

Name: Wakaba Taoka

Wakaba was born and raised in Yoshinogawa City, Tokushima Prefecture. In high-school she fell in love with foreign music and dancing and became a big fan of Korean-Pop Artists. This love of music continues to this day as Taoka continues to take dancing lessons and occasionally DJs at local bars and clubs in Tokushima City. After finishing university, he went on to work for a travel agency, gaining three years of experience. During this time, Taoka made the time to travel abroad whenever possible in order to broaden her horizons. These experiences inspired a return to her hometown and become a member at the local community development volunteer society where she dreamed of one day running a local guesthouse.
Taoka realized this dream in part after helping to organize the Tane-no-Ya Lodging center and the Misato Farmer’s Market, both of which were developed using already existing elementary schools that had long since shutdown but have now been reimagined thanks to the efforts of local volunteers.
Yoshinogawa City’s Misato Town is the first location in Japan to be certified as a special zone for the production of plum wine. Whether in the spring when the flowers are blooming or in the snowy scenery of the colder months, the area reflects the agricultural background of the area and people can experience much of the traditional culture of the region when visiting.
Despite the advanced age of much of the population, local volunteers go out of their way to introduce younger generations to this unique region with the help of local guides such as Wakaba.

Itinerary